Method of treating seborrheic dermatitis with n,n-diethyl-m-toluamide



United States Patent 3,452,139 METHOD OF TREATING SEBORRHEIC DERMATI- TIS WITH N,N-DIETHYL-m-TOLUAMIDE Robert H. Van Sant, Palm Beach, Fla., by Ruth G. Van

Sant, guardian, 434 Sea Spray Ave., Palm Beach, Fla. 33480 No Drawing. Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 506,613, Nov. 5, 1965. This application Aug. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 662,546

Int. Cl. A61k 27/00 US. Cl. 424-324 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 506,613, filed Nov. 5, 1965, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 137,540, filed Sept. 12, 1961. Both of the aforementioned applications are now abandoned.

This invention relates to a method and composition for the treatement of seborrheic dermatitis in an aqueous isopropanolic or other suitable carrier and by using the composition as hereinafter described, dandruff can be controlled.

The compound N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide is known and has been used as an insect repellant by the Armed Forces and others for that specific purpose for several years. The compound as usually prepared is 90 to 95% pure and is readily available commercially.

In accordance with the present invention it has been discovered that N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide is useful in the treatmen otf seborrheic dermatitis and related conditions such as seborrhea sicca capitis or pityriasis capitis. Thus, the present invention makes it possible to treat and control dandruff and the related scalp conditions. It has further been found that the N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide can be suitably incorporated into a carrier or vehicle which is preferably an aqueous isopropanolic liquid carrier or vehicle. The N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide is the active ingredient for dandruff control and is used in an amount ranging from about 5% to about 20% by volume of the composition. Good results have been obtained with 7% and excellent results have been obtained with 12%. In general, the composition is to be used in the minimum amount required for dandruff control and is employed daily for 1 to 3 weeks depending upon the severity of the condition of a particular patient and the responsiveness thereto of the condition being treated. In many instances it has been found that favorable results are obtained in about 1 week and that ordinarily it is not necessary to continue more than 3 weeks. Each time the composition is applied enough thereof is used to dampen the hair or saturate the scalp and it has been found by wayof example that a 2 ounce container of the composition is enough to last for 2 Weeks of treatment. The individual dosage applied to the hair and/or scalp is not critical and it is only necessary to use enough each time to dampen the hair or substantially saturate the scalp and after application of the composition, it has been found 3,452,139 Patented June 24, 1969 desirable to carry out fingertip massage for about one minute. The composition is intended to be used daily each morning, but may be applied as required for dandrutf control. It will be appreciated that in a given instance the amount used depends upon the amount of hair. Tests have been carried out with favorable results.

Experience has shown that dandruff is often persistent and returns after weekly shampoos and regular hair grooming and is the result of dermatitis, mainly seborrheic dermatitis, but also in some cases seborrhea sicca capitis or pityriasis capitis. Medications most commonly used to combat dandruff include sulfur, resorcinol, mercury, chyrsarobin and coal tar. These have been found to have only limited value and are frequently accompanied by serious disadvantages. Sulfur is unsightly and may itself cause serious dermatitis. Resorcinol discolors hair and causes light and red hair to become greenish. Mercury is apt to be absorbed and is toxic. Chrysarobin is capable of producing renal irritation when applied to large areas or conjunctivitis if used adjacent the eyes. Coal tar is messy and potentially carcinogenic.

A lotion containing 12% of the active ingredient was made up as follows:

ml. N,N-diethyl-mtoluamide 12 Distilled water 38 Isopropanol 50 Any suitable perfume up to 1.5 ml. may be added to the above lotion.

Dermatologists recognize that seborrhea capitis and seborrheic dermatitis are important contributory causes of alopecia. Seborrhea in some form is considered as the most important local cause of premature alopecia ranging from to as an etiological factor. Dermatologists further recognize that seborrheic conditions recurring in later years are likely to become chronic, persistent and intractable. It was therefore most surprising and unexpected that the present invention was able to obtain such satisfactory results and this could not in any way have been predicted from existing knowledge of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide itself which, while known as an excellent insect repellant, has not heretofore been known to be useful for the purposes of the present invention. N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide is readily available and has the empirical formula C H NO with a molecular weight of 7 191.26. It is freely soluble in alcohols and for the purposes of the present invention, it is suspended or dissolved in any suitable carrier or vehicle but it has been found to be best and is therefore preferred to use the compound in the formulation above set forth. Where a diiferent amount of active ingredient is employed such as 7%, the amounts of water and alcohol are adjusted proportionately. It is further to be understood that while it has been found best to employ the active ingredient in aqueous isopropanolic solution, the invention is not limited thereto as the N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide can be incorporated in or combined with other carriers or vehicles whether liquid or semiliquid such as conventional shampoos, hair rinses and hair tonics.

What is claimed is:

'1. A method of treating seborrheic dermatitis which comprises applying to the hair or scalp periodically a sufiicient amount of a composition to moisten the hair or substantially saturate the scalp and to control the dermatitis, which composition consists essentially of a carrier or vehicle in which is incorporated about 5 to 20% of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide based on the complete composition.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the N,N- diethyl-m-toluamide amounts to 12% of the composition.

r 3 3. A method according to claim '1 in which the N,N- diethyl-m-toluamide amounts to 7% of the composition. 4. A method of treating seborrheic dermatitis which comprises applying daily to the hair or scalp a sufficient amount of a composition to dampen the hair or substantially saturate the scalp for a period of 1 to 4 weeks, said composition being essentially composed of, per each 100 milliliters, 12 milliliters of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide,

Chemical Abstracts 54: 25532i (1960).

ALBERT T. MEYERS, Primary Examiner.

VERA C. CLARKE, Assistant Examiner. 

